Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

The Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment (Yuanjue jing, 圓覺經) is the representative text of Korean Buddhism, which has been lectured or published for more than 1,000 years from the Goryeo Dynasty untilrecently in Korea. From this point of view, this paper analyzes the 25 Bodhisattva’s meditations systematized on the basis of the most prominent practice systems, especially śamatha, samāpatti and dhyāna. Among 12 chapters in total, Chapters 7, 8, and 11 are directly related to the 25 Bodhisattva’s meditations. The Chapters 7 and 11 focus on how the novice first approaches śamatha, samāpatti and dhyāna, how to decorate the Buddha-land and how to achieve enlightenment, while the Chapter 8 describes all the meditations experienced by Bodhisattvas in actual practice. When Bodhisattvas cultivate śamatha, samāpatti and dhyāna, the 25 meditations are the sum of doing alone (3), of doing perfection (1), and ofdoing two or more together (21). The basis upon which the meditations are cultivated is the power of illusion founded on the unenlightening state, which state is dependent on enlightenment again. The 25 meditations experienced by the Bodhisattva in actual practice differ according to the characteristics of mental concentration and tranquility. Basically, śamatha appears as the efficacy of calming or as calm wisdom, samāpatti as the efficacy of transformation or the great compassion of the Buddha, and dhyāna as the efficacy of quiescence. However, Bodhisattvas who perfectly cultivate three meditations simultaneously or together use wisdom of perfect enlightenment.